Saracens aside, English clubs are no longer big players on the European stage

The Premiership is not producing the goods. One look around the Champions Cup tables tells us that

Owen Farrell was crucial to Saracens’ victory in Cardiff (Reuters)

Another European Champions Cup Saturday and another underwhelming day for English Premiership clubs as former winners Wasps and Bath lay down with barely a whimper while Saracens flexed their muscles as we thought they might.

It hasn’t been a complete disaster for English clubs in Europe’s premier competition yet, with Saracens unbeaten in pool three and Newcastle Falcons the surprise package of pool five, but it’s shaping up to be another pretty underwhelming year.

Saracens stand alone. We already knew that. Mark McCall’s men ground out another workmanlike win over Cardiff Blues in desperately tough conditions in the Welsh capital to make it four wins from four courtesy of Owen Farrell’s sublime piece of second-half skill and Jamie George’s happy knack of scoring vital late tries.

But, with Exeter’s win over Gloucester on Friday night achieving little more than seriously damaging the Cherry and Whites’ hopes of progressing (and not giving Exeter a realistic chance of progressing from the pool as some were trying to spin it), the reality of another underwhelming European campaign for Premiership clubs is beginning to dawn.

Bath, once English rugby’s powerhouse, once again barely fired a shot as they slumped to a 42-15 defeat to champions Leinster to make it four losses from four, while Wasps scored their first try in three hours of rugby as they briefly flattered to deceive against Toulouse before going down 42-27.

Wasps and Bath, with three European titles between them, lie rooted together at the bottom of pool one with nothing but their own drawn game to show for their efforts from four games. A combined points difference of minus 108 and no win to speak of in eight games says all we need to know about two clubs who have become pale shadows of their former selves.

Elsewhere in pool two, we consoled ourselves that Exeter’s latest no-show in Europe was at least compensated by Gloucester’s surprise form. But that was before Rob Baxter’s men exacted revenge for last weekend’s defeat by sinking the Cherry and Whites at Kingsholm.

It was a pulsating game, and a fine advert for the competition in many ways, but ultimately Exeter’s first European win of the season has only sought to salvage some west country pride for the Chiefs while seriously damaging Gloucester’s hopes of progressing.

Pool two is the most open of all, with Munster by no means out of sight at the top, but Exeter and Gloucester both need mathematical miracles to progress. Baxter’s face said as much in the BT studio after the game.

Ray Lee-Lo tries to evade the tackle of Saracens' Schalk Burger (Reuters)

Saracens – once again far and away England’s greatest hope of success this season after scraping into the knockout stages last year to avoid the ignominy of the Premiership failing to produce a single quarter-finalist – are at least beginning to grind through the gears.

Blues gave them a fright for the second week running but a 21-game unbeaten streak in all competitions is testament to their iron will and unrivalled squad depth.

Farrell returned at fly-half to drive them to victory and the men in black still have plenty in reserve. At the moment, when it comes to the Premiership’s offering, they are the exceptions who prove the rule.

Leicester and Newcastle both had a chance to redeem some English pride on Sunday, but the facts are becoming inescapable.

The Premiership may have the financial muscle and shout loudest about its product, but the quality being produced on the field is falling short.

Saracens aside, English clubs are no longer big players on the European stage.

A private equity fund may or may not be about to sink more than £200m into a league whose clubs collectively lose £30m a year but are floated by a multi-million pound TV rights deal with BT Sport and a massive sponsorship contract with US insurance firm Gallagher.

“This interest is of course very good news for Premiership Rugby and is a reflection of its growing international appeal,” the Premiership said in September, when the deal was first mooted.

But on the field, the Premiership is not producing the goods. One look around the Champions Cup tables tells us that.